Step Across
by Taivasalla
Summary: AU. Borders are lines on a map, lines on a land. The man called Kyuubi breaks the law he once desired to uphold to help others across. For money, for love, for justice. Until one Sasuke Uchiha threatens everything. Not a romance.


Disclaimer: I don't own _Naruto._

A/N: Alternate Universe story. Take what should be and twist it sideways.

* * *

The girl behind the counter leaned forward. Her red polo shirt with the words 'Rick's Coffee' emblazoned on the left pulled a little as she pushed the paper cup towards the customer. "Here's your coffee, sir." Naruto accepted the warm cup with a grateful smile.

"Thanks." He stepped over to the table beside the counter, and proceeded to add enough milk to turn the brew pale brown, six sugar cubes, a vigorous shake of cinnamon, and another sugar cube for good measure. Carrying the overfull cup carefully, he sat down at one of the round tables scattered throughout the coffee shop. Sipping his concotion, Naruto flipped through the copy of the local paper someone had left scattered across the table. He frowned as he read the front-page article, something about the holes in the border defenses; how more and more people were leaving the country illegally. Huh. That was mostly Kotetsu and Izumo's side of the department, but he knew a bit about the situation...

"Hey, Naruto." His blue gaze flicked up, and a wide grin spread across his face.

"Iruka!" He stood quickly, grabbing his old friend in a tight hug. They slapped backs, and then Iruka settled down in the chair across from him. At Naruto's offer of coffee, he shook his head.

"So expensive here, can't go wasting a teacher's salary on frivolities like coffee." Naruto flinched a little, looking at his own cup of four-dollar coffee. "Nah, don't worry about that, Naruto," Iruka added, seeing his sudden grimace. "Everyone needs a little something nice. You deserve your coffee. Anyways, what's four dollars after tonight?" He snaked a hand over the table and snagged the younger man's cup, then put it down just as quickly. "Gross, Naruto! How much sugar did you put in that? Didn't I teach you anything?" Iruka wiped his lips, the cloying flavor remaining stubbornly in his mouth.

"Tonight?" Naruto asked quietly. He pulled his coffee back over and took a deep gulp. "And only six cubes."

Iruka buried his head in his hands in mock despair. "Naruto, Naruto, I tried so hard...yes, tonight. I've got a customer, willing to pay fifty thousand."

"Fifty...thousand," Naruto repeated, incredulous. "That's enough. Iruka that's all that's left!" His smile was about ready to split his face in two. "This could all be over!" Then Naruto sobered slightly. "But why so much? That's more than six times the going rate."

Iruka shrugged, but he was grinning too. "He wanted the best. I said, the best is Kyuubi. And he said, how much? And I said, how much can you pay? And he said, how much do you want, 'cause I can pay it." Iruka's smile turned smug. "So I said, fifty."

"Yah!" Naruto shouted. He jumped up, ran around the table, and grabbed Iruka up in another hug. "We'll get her out, Iruka. We'll save her." The elderly woman at the next table glared at them over her half-moon reading glasses, and huffed primly.

Iruka shushed him frantically, flapping his hand down in the air. "Naruto, keep it down."

The blond man flopped back into his chair. His eyes were glowing, and not even the threat of being overheard could remove the grin from his face. "So, who is it? Anyone important?"

Iruka's smile faltered. "Well, Naruto, he's paying you an awful lot of money."

"I know that, Iruka," he said impatiently. "I need details, where, when, who."

Brown eyes scanned the room warily. He stood, and pushed his chair in. "Not here, Naruto. Come to my apartment, and we'll talk." He grabbed Naruto's arm.

"Hey, my coffee!" Naruto snatched his coffee up as Iruka led him out of the shop.

Iruka's apartment was a familiar place to Naruto, and he breathed the scent of tea, ink, and slightly burned bread with a content sigh. "Maa, Iruka-sensei, it's just like old days." He'd spent many of his high school afternoons here, back when being an orphan had meant so much more to his daily life. He shucked his shoes and ran a hand over the little cat statue Iruka kept next to his door. The head was worn smooth with the touches of many hands, and shone happily in the warm yellow light of Iruka's apartment. Tossing himself down in a chair, Naruto propped his head on a hand and regarded Iruka steadily. "So. Tonight doesn't give us much time to plan."

"Us?" Iruka sighed, sitting down across from his former student and good friend. "I keep telling you, Naruto. I'm doing this for you and Sakura, but I will not get involved any further."

"I meant 'me'; 'me', Iruka. Okay?" Naruto tapped his fingers impatiently on the polished wood.

Iruka nodded. "You're not going to like this, Naruto." He met the curious blue eyes firmly. "Sasuke Uchiha."

Naruto gaped. "Uchiha? But he—"

"I know. But now he needs to get over the border, and he can't, and he's willing to pay fifty thousand for the best."

"I won't help him," Naruto snapped. His palm slapped down against the table, and he leaned towards Iruka. "I won't help that bastard."

Iruka sighed. "Don't think of it as helping him. Think of it as freeing Sakura."

"No," Naruto shouted. "I can't! I'll take others; I'll take double. I'll make up the money!" his voice rose, and cracked.

His old teacher shook his head. "One trip, Naruto. It'll take you months to make up that kind of money."

He slumped back. "But it's _Uchiha_. He _knows_ me."

"But he's on the run, and if you take him, he'll be across the border. He won't be able to hurt you," Iruka soothed.

Naruto abruptly turned the conversation. "What did he do?"

"To make him need to run? He wouldn't say."

"Close-mouthed bastard."

"Naruto! Don't say things like that about your classmates."

"He helped put Sakura in jail. How do you want me to talk about him?" Naruto snapped back. He put his hands up to his face and pressed hard into his skin. "Oh God, I have to, don't I?"

Iruka nodded unhappily. "Get him over the border, and Sakura walks free."

Naruto slid his hands up through his hair, mussing the blond spikes even more than usual. He tipped his head up to the ceiling, staring at Iruka's carefully dusted plaster. "Fine. Where and when?"

"I told him to meet you at the bus stop outside the mall at seven."

* * *

Sasuke pulled his hood closer about his face, turning slightly away from the man who had joined him on the bus stop bench. Beside the bench and bus sign, a gaggle of teenagers giggled and screeched on the sidewalk. The sky was still light, but the sun had begun to set. In front of him, the sky was a blazing orange streaked with vivid pink and red clouds. The glory was lost on Sasuke, though; he peered with single-minded intensity down the dirty, exhaust-filled road. A bus coughed up to the curb, spewing noxious fumes from its pipe. Sasuke choked on the billowing haze as it ground to a halt in front of the stop. The doors squealed open, disgorging a few harried-looking passengers. The teenagers shoved their way onto the bus, the clatter of quarters falling into the bin carrying noisily to Sasuke's ears. They were followed by the second man, who swept a bus pass across the sensor. Sasuke noted the beep absently, still examining the area for any signs of his mysterious contact.

With a screeching of brakes and another puff of smog, the bus pulled away from the curb. The Uchiha sighed impatiently. Clenching his jaw, he refused to admit he was even slightly afraid. He was Sasuke Uchiha. He was not afraid. Even if the man who was supposed to be there hadn't arrived yet. That scarred man had said that Kyuubi was the best there was, but where was he? Sasuke checked his watch for the fifth time in the last minute. 7:12. He was _late._

Someone sat down beside him. Sasuke reached up to twitch the cloth further in front of his face. An arm slid around his shoulders, and Sasuke froze. His hand slid towards the switchblade tucked in his jacket pocket. "We're getting on the next bus, Uchiha. Fifth stop." The arm withdrew.

"What are you talking about?" Sasuke asked, keeping his voice level and cool.

"Nice sunset, isn't it?" the man commented. Sasuke's eyes focused briefly on the sky, the orange fading slightly now to darker shades. "Like a fox's coat, I would say."

"Kyuubi?" Sasuke whispered.

"Don't say it out loud, idiot," the man hissed. Sasuke finally turned to look at the Kyuubi, now that his identity was no longer at risk.

Blond hair and bright blue eyes met his startled gaze. "Naruto?" His voice squeaked.

"Shut up, idiot." Naruto turned away from him.

"Hey, I'm not an idiot, dobe," Sasuke protested. "But you're...hah. I can't believe it."

Naruto rolled his eyes. "This 'can't believe it' is saving your sorry hide, Uchiha."

"Don't sound so high and mighty, Uzumaki. You're doing if for fifty thousand dollars, not out of the good of your heart."

Naruto's eyes blazed and he swung around to glare at Sasuke. "If I had my preference, Uchiha, you'd rot here to face whatever hell you're in for," he hissed. "I don't hold grudges easily; you should know that. I forgave you for nearly killing me before. But I will _not_ forgive you for what you did to Sakura."

Sasuke slouched back on the bench, staring vaguely at a point over Naruto's left shoulder. "Hn."

"Bastard," Naruto muttered.

"So why should I trust you for this?" Sasuke asked abruptly. "If you hate me so much."

Naruto lip drew up in suppressed anger. Quietly, he forced out, "Because I need your money, Uchiha. I'll save you, and then I'll take your fifty thousand and release Sakura."

Sasuke's aristocratic eyebrows rose. Ignoring Naruto's fury, he spoke in a carefully indifferent tone. "You've changed, Naruto. I remember when we were in school, all you ever talked about was how you were going to be prime minister when you grew up. You'd change the world, you said."

Naruto sneered. "I'm surprised you remember, Uchiha. You never seemed to listen to a word I said."

"I'd have to be deaf and dumb not to hear that," Sasuke snorted. "You said it at least ten times a day."

"You are dumb," Naruto muttered.

A tiny laugh slipped out of Sasuke. "Still making juvenile jokes."

"Still an arrogant bastard I'd pay to see flayed," Naruto grit out. "Fifth stop, Uchiha. Be there." He stood, and slipped away into the darkness.

"Wait," Sasuke called, but Naruto was gone. "Fifth stop," he muttered to himself. "Seven years, and all he says is 'fifth stop, Uchiha.'" He tipped his head back against the back of the bench, before he remembered that he was a wanted criminal with a well-known face, and hurriedly sat back up to conceal it. "And I'm paying _Naruto_ fifty-thousand dollars. More than that, I'm trusting that clumsy, bumbling, do-everything-wrong obnoxious failure with my life. I must be insane."

_How'd he become Kyuubi?_ Sasuke wondered, as the number sixteen bus pulled jerkily away from the stop. _He used to be such a stickler for doing the right thing._ He settled back in the cushioned seat, carefully avoiding the dark spot that used to be someone's piece of gum. The seatback in front of him was fraying, a bit of stuffing poking out from where someone had sliced it open with a pen or a knife. Naruto would have made a face at the condition of the bus, Sasuke recalled. Naruto had always been one for expressing his feelings. But the Uchiha kept his features impassive as he counted the stops. At the designated station, he rose and walked carefully down the aisle of the mostly empty bus.

Naruto was waiting, leaning casually against a tree. The area was a quiet, residential street, populated by modest two story homes and a multitude of trees. "Here?" Sasuke asked with a raised eyebrow, refusing to question how Naruto had gotten there before him.

The blond man jerked his head down the road, and began walking. Sasuke followed obediently. He observed his former friend's back as they proceeded slowly down the road. Naruto wore a casual, dark green jacket, and walked with his hands stuffed in the pockets. He angled his head down as he walked, looking neither where he was going nor back at Sasuke. His black slacks were equally nondescript. Sasuke wondered at the lack of orange or yellow in the outfit, before he realized that maybe Naruto was as professional as the scarred man had claimed. Or maybe Naruto had just grown up since high school. With no warning, Naruto halted. Sasuke hurriedly stopped behind him, looking quickly around for danger. The street was empty. "What is it?" he hissed at Naruto, his heart hammering.

Blue eyes flicked over his shoulder, and Naruto grinned. "Don't be scared, Sasuke. We're here."

"I'm not scared." Sasuke layered just the right amount of cold indifference and arrogant superiority into his tone to imply that it must have been Naruto who was scared. It was carefully calculated to scrape Naruto the wrong way.

Sure enough, Naruto's face darkened. "Sure, teme. Follow me," he ordered, and turned up the cement path leading to the front door of a drab blue house. He pushed the door, and it opened silently without a key. He disappeared inside, leaving Sasuke to hurry in behind him and shut the door.

It was dark inside, the fading light of sunset barely inching in the windows. Sasuke reached for a light switch, but dropped his hand as Naruto snapped, "Don't touch anything." In the gloomy foyer, he turned to Sasuke. "Last chance to back out, Uchiha. Half now, half when it's over. Once we start, you don't bail on me." His blue eyes were hard as diamond in the shadows. Not a ghost of a smile touched his lips, pulled tight and thin across his face. In the back of his mind, Sasuke realized that he didn't recognize this Naruto. "Twenty five thousand in cash, Sasuke. And if you ever so much as whisper my name to anyone, I'll hunt you down and slit your throat."

A smirk bloomed on Sasuke's face, and he pulled a thick wad of cash from inside his jacket. "Twenty five thousand, Kyuubi. Take me across."

* * *

A/N: How much does coffee actually cost? I don't drink it...

May or may not get more chapters. Right now, it's more of a writing exercise. See how much I can create with less than twenty-five hundred words.


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